Photograph by Jeff Kearns
Spring Strummer: Retired trucker Larry Hoelter has lived the country music life, and still sings around Campbell. He sang 'Folsom Prison Blues' by Johnny Cash and other classic country songs at the Campbell St. Patrick's Day festival.
Public Citizen
Singing a song of his own
Larry Hoelter started playing country music in Oklahoma honky tonks
By Moryt Milo
Larry Hoelter isn't hard to spot. He usually wears a white cowboy hat and he's the only Oklahoma cowboy who smiles and greets folks while he sips his morning cup of java outside Orchard Valley Coffee.
A Campbell resident for the past six years, Hoetler fills downtown Campbell with his kindness and his music, playing classic country on his guitar.
Hoelter, 63, says he got his first guitar when he was 15. After that he won a singing contest, and began playing in "honky-tonk places" throughout Oklahoma and Missouri. Hoelter hasn't stopped playing since, because, as he tells it, " I love music and I love entertaining people."
When Hoelter turned 21 he began driving trucks across the United States. He lived a trucker's life for 37 years, with his guitar always by his side. When he tired of the road, Hoelter says, "I'd get me another band and play for awhile."
Five years ago he retired from driving trucks and enjoys just playing his music. With extra time on his hands, Hoelter is starting to get his music noticed.
He hadn't really planned on doing anything with his music, beyond some clubs and playing with his current band at various farmers' markets. "But, everyone said I had to do a CD," says Hoelter. So he got his seven-member band together, named Bit & Spur Country Cowboys, and went into the studios at Sound Technology on Second Street in Campbell. Eight hours later they had 12 songs recorded. Hoelter wanted it to "sound like the way we play on the streets." He wanted it to sound live and thinks "it came out great."
Besides his recent CD, he and his band are picking up more jobs then they expected. Hoelter worked the Reno country music circuit from '86 through '88 seven days a week, and doesn't want to do that again. He doesn't want his playing to turn into work. And says, "I want to keep it fun and so far I've been able to do that."
When all his band members are playing together, "there is probably 250 years of experience on the stage," Hoelter says smiling. "We are a bunch of old guys having a good time." And that good time is enjoyed by the folks who frequent the farmer's markets in Campbell, Sunnyvale and Oakland.
"I've had so many people come up to me [in Campbell], and say, 'You know Larry we don't like country music but we love your country.' I think it's because I do the original country," explains Hoelter.
Commenting on today's sound, Hoelter finds "new country" all the same. But the original tunes, played by the greats--Hank Williams, Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash--are all about "living the truth." Hoelter admits openly that "every song I do I've lived."
And he adds, "I'm not out here on the streets of Campbell to put money in my pocket. I'm out here because I enjoy doing it. If I make a buck fine and if I don't, I'm just as happy packin' up and going home."
Campbell, California
